Tag Archives: time management

Time: Friend or Foe?

by SLAC

It’s 1:30 a.m.: you’re at your desk, a can of Monster precariously perched on the shortest stack of books and articles, with 456 words or 19 more algebra problems to go. Our advice? Go to bed, whether that’s a mattress, bunk or futon, and sleep. At this point, you are falling victim to the commonly held idea that you “work better under pressure.” In the summer, what this really means is only that you are working under pressure because you no longer have an option to do otherwise. Working too close to deadlines also means not having a chance to problem solve if something goes wrong or if you have last-minute trouble with a concept. Besides, even if you do perform best late at night during the long semesters, summer classes are held every day ― days when you used to be sleeping after pulling an all-nighter.

The fact is that time in summer school is unrelenting. Use the self-discipline you dredge up to take care of your body, to make yourself read or study earlier in the day, to start preparing for midterms and finals and to e-mail or talk with your professor about tests and papers ― including the invisible professors in your online courses. Do it now. Check TRACS and Bobcat Mail each day, and sometimes several times a day. In summer school, falling behind in sleep, your studies or your communications is even more destructive than during fall or spring. It’s time to make time your friend.

Don’t procrastinate! Keep up with your goals by planning ahead

It’s never too late to remind yourself that staying up to date with school work now is crucial—especially considering extracurricular activities you may have committed to this fall. Make sure to keep up with all of the readings and homework for your classes. The longer you put them off, the harder it is to catch up, and the more likely you will become overwhelmed the night before a test or project due date. Bad grades at the beginning of a course are very hard to bring up at the end.

Keeping a steady pace is key for
success in summer classes

It’s 1:30 a.m: You’re at your desk — a huge energy drink can precariously perched on the shortest stack of books and articles — with 456 words or 19 more algebra problems to go. Our advice? Go to bed, whether that’s a mattress, bunk or futon, and sleep. At this point your biological clock, the one that says you think better at night, is lying to you. Continue reading →